2023 Hodgepodge Chinese 5-String Violin

Local fiddler Dan supplied my guy Andy with this midmarket Chinese-made fiddle body and a downmarket, unfit, unfinished, 5-string fiddle neck. I helped Andy remove the original neck and then Andy did all the fitting, board dressing, bridge cutting, peg-fitting, bridge-fitting, and setup work needed to make this into a player.

It actually sounds quite better than I expected and the wide neck and lighter-radius fingerboard works well for the 5-string setup. Its only weak points are fancier finish for the new neck not being in the budget and the very inexpensive strings in use. The only nicer-quality ones on it are the high E (a Westminster) and the spare G-string from our parts-bins as the original G from the viola set supplied actually snapped upon install. How about that?

I would love to hear it with a good set of strings, of course, though I'm fairly certain both Dan and Andy are happy with the completed instrument at the budget that was allotted. It handles beautifully despite my complete lack of bowed skills.